Machine for making stereotype mats



4 Sheet's-Sheet l Nov. 18, 1952 Filed July so, 1951 Nov. 18, 1952 R. FINZER MACHINE FOR MAKING STEREOTYPE MATS 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 30, 1951 Nov. 18, 1952 R. FINZER 2,618,073

MACHINE FOR MAKING STEREOTYPE MATS Filed July 30, 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Nov. 18, 1952 R. FINZER MACHINE FOR MAKING STEREOTYPE MATS 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed July 50 1951 Patented Nov. 18, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MACHINE FOR MAKING STEREOTYPE MATS Raymond Finzer, Hoosiek Falls, N. Y.

Application July 30, 1951, Serial No. 239,366

7 Claims. 1

This application is a continuation in part of my previous application, Serial No. 163,723 filed May 23, 1950.

This invention relates to a machine and method for controlling during drying or baking, the shrinkage of molded stereotype mats, such as are used in printing oflices and particularly newspaper printing offices. As is well known to those skilled in the art, stereotype mats are made from sheets of wet pulp which contain large amounts of moisture and are dried and hardened in a machine known as a scorcher. Such sheets shrink greatly during baking, the shrinkage being ordinarily as much as 1 inches. Since it is important that the mats be substantially uniform in width, the large shrinkage leads subsequently to serious troubles. Attempts have been made to produce mats of uniform width by using automatic timers which stop the heating after a predetermined length of time, but it has been found that stereotype mats as they come to the machine vary so greatly in moisture content that there is substantial variation in width, even though the time of drying and the temperature are the same. It is also well known to those skilled in the art that a mat, a large part of whose area has no printing, will have entirely different shrinkage characteristics from a sheet which is uniformly covered with printed matter. Therefore, it has been found that with machines which have a 'pre-shrink timer which is set for a predetermined length of time, the mats produced vary greatly in width both on account of variations in moisture content and also variations in the amount of white on the page, the open page shrinking much more than a solid page. Since it is not customary to reset the preshrink timer for each mat that is to be baked, the mats produced vary greatly in width.

Mats which after drying are outside the permissible width limits result in loss of material, labor and time, and often also result in serious delay in the production of the newspaper. As the time which elapses between the time when the forms are locked and time when the plates go to the press room is in the vicinity of ten minutes any interruption or delay during the period is a serious matter. Mats that are undersize in width due to too much shrinkage cause a loss in advertising lineage.

The apparatus and method embodying my invention produces stereotype mats of substantially uniform width. Also it is possible to use stock which in its original condition varies greatly in moisture content, and the diificulties due to variations in width resulting from the differences in the proportion of space which is occupied by the printed matter are overcome. The apparatus for practicing my invention is readily incorporated in machines of standard construction now on the market or may be applied as an attachment to machines already constructed. When so applied, it is necessary to use only one timer instead of the two which are now employ-ed.

I accomplish these results by followin one or both edges of the mat with a finger or feeler as the mat shrinks and when a predetermined point has been reached, preventing further shrinkage by clamping the mat against a reticulated or perforated surface by air pressure resulting from a greatly increased vacuum created on the back of the perforated surf-ace.

Referring now to the drawings in which my invention is shown as embodied in or applied to a scorcher of well known construction:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation;

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1, portions of the cover being broken away;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the control unit, the cover of the unit being removed;

Fig. 4 is a section on line 44 of Fig. 3 looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figs. 5, 6 and 7 are sections on lines 5-5, 6-6 and 'l-! respectively, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 8 is a section taken substantially vertically on line 8-8 of Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 9 is an inside view of the upper chamber of the scorcher to illustrate the position of the feelers with respect to the side edges of the mat which is being dried;

Fig. 10 illustrates a modified form of the machine embodying my invention only one feeler being employed;

Figs. 11, 12 and 13 are sections on lines ll, 12 and 13 of Fig. 10 looking in the directions indicated; and

Fig. 14 is a view showing the position of the fixed stop.

At l l is shown the base of a scorcher of standard construction provided with a semi-cylindrical cover I2 hinged at I3 to the base. On the base ll there are two sheets I 6 and I! which are curved to correspond to the curvature of the cylinder on which the cast plate is to be used, the upper or outer sheet [6 being perforated or reticulated to allow the passage of air to the space or chamber between the two sheets. In the space between the two sheets is a series of heating coils I8 supplied with suitable electric curaeipve rent. The cover is also constructed of an outer sheet 8 and a. perforated or reticulated inner sheet with electric heating units I4 in the vacuum chamber 8 between them. The space between the cover l2 and the perforated sheet 18 is somewhat greater than the thickness of the mat or matrix which is indicated at A in Figs. 8 and 9. The parts thus far described are of standard construction and form no part of my invention except in combination with the elements hereinafter described.

A housing or box 20 is secured to the top of the cover l2 and can be removed when it is necessary to get at the control unit contained therein. A cylindrical rod 23 is mounted in the box with one end projecting outwardly through an opening 24 in the end of the housing. This rod is provided with a roller 25 on the outside and is mounted to slide loosely in a thimble or bushin'g 52 and tw brackets 54 'ajnd'55 H I The roller on the end s: the 'rod, 2e which is outside of the housing 2815; so located that the roller 25 will he, in contact with 'a fixed inclined cam surface 56 (see Figs. 1, 2 and 8) mounted on the base, l l ,of the machi e. when the cover l2 is closed. The 'cam surface 58 pushes the rod, 23 in, i. e. toward the left as viewed in Fi B f a's the cover is closed spreading apart rods 5T-f58.

Beside the rod 23 are two rods Hand 58 which carry feeler arm's 30yan'd 31, respectively. These feelerjarms extend downwardly through slots 32 and33 in the base of the control unit and in the cover as shown in Fi'g. 8. on their lower ends they carry feelers 34 and '35 each having a thin finger 36 extending ove'rthe top own-e that A and on the uridersidefa projection 88 to engage the edge of the mat. The two rods ST-and 58 are each mounted in pairs er grooved rollers 68 so that they are movable ea'sily toward and away from each other and 'but l'ittle force 'is required to move them. Two springs 6| connected 'b'y a cable orwire 62 tend to pull thetwo rods inwardly toward each other andhence to cause the feelers and 35 to make fa gentle Contact with the edge of the mat "A'and 'tcg maintain this contact as the mat shrinks. The rodlis is provided with 'a fixed arm or lug 63 located in the pathof movement of a lug 84 on *the right hand rod 57', 'arid atfits opposite or left end is connectedto link ffi'dproedvwi hg "o fs t m 11 18 66, e pai n movement of asecondlug on the left hand rod 58. s A spring Q'Iis fastened at one end to the lug 66 and spine other e at :n to tn immovable P rt f li e d s a ihef qn rq nit .A compression spring '88 also surrounds the-rod 28 with one end resting against thejfixed bracket 54 and the other against the arm or lug63 on the rod 23. The spring 6| is 'strongerthan's'pring 68 which tends to pull the rods 5'! and 58 and consequently the 'feeljer' arms '38 and -3l toward each other and to hold them in contactwith the edge of the mat A. r y i As long as the cover I? is open, that is, in the position shown in Fig. 2, in dot and dash lines, the rod '23 will be as farto the right as 'it can go and the link 65 is as nearly horizontal as it can be. At this time the offset arm or lug 86' is against the lug or projection 10 on red 58, and, therefore, holds the rod'58 as far to the leftas possible. Likewise, the fixed "arm 153 on rod 23 is in contact with *lug Mon the right hand rod 51 and pushes this 'rod to the right. Accordingly, when the cover 12 is open and because of the greater strength of the 'springffil compared with that of spring 68, the "feelers are s'eparat'ed."as widely as possible.

At 88 (see Figs. 3, 4 and 8) is indicated an electric switch in a circuit leading to a relay which controls a solenoid 9| which in turn operates a vacuum relief valve 92 by which the amount of vacuum in the vacuum chamber is controlled. The switch 80 is mounted on the right hand rod 57. A contact member 82 is mounted on a post 83 which is secured by a screw stud 84 to the left hand rod 58. This contact inember is slidable in a drilled hole in the post 83 and can be fixed in adjusted position by a set screw 85. When the contact member 82 strikes the operating member 81 of switch 80, the solenoid 9| is energized. and the vacuum relief valve 92 is closed, therebyincreasing the vacuum in chamber 8 to the required amount.

, operation of the machine embodying my invention in this form is as follows: After the machine has been warmed up inthe usual man- Her and the vacuum motor started the wet mat A is put place 'on the exposed surface 1'0 on the inside of the opened cover. Aslong. the cover is pp'enfthe rod 23 is to the fight "and the feelers?! and 35 are separated from -each othei' as far as possible, cover 12. is then clo ed. As it closes, th e roller 2 gni d, 2 str es the 'fixe'd inclined cam "surface 55 on the base I'-! this pushes the rod 23 i e, to left "as shown in Fig. l, compressing the "spring 88 hd at the same timeimovin'g theafrins Biaiid G5 inward andthfusah he s 51 f sit 2 'of 'the lfeeleifsfii l and 35 carried t Tl t 'd r. he amine i ie 38 on the und'eisideeqme me eqmact with t e g '10? hefmat ."i tf 'i et ic VaIVe'SZ is in its jtre shr-inkingfpcsi (in softha't there ;is 'a reseteview vacuum in the vacuum chamber 8, for instance, the inch 61" acu m M V reafterfthe inatfsliri-iiks uiider theinfluence of the heatffrom the-h mg units f iand 8 as its'hrin ks tlie 'feelers they 'mward fell the edge of the finatf-tintil t *ieac'h predet mes-mam stance, to abate freby the ace 1 6 amen =sto inkag'e of the rh'a' t. Heating is' then contiiiued'u til the ina" gciepuy tales, lieiriig stdpp'ed by Tafter the proijermehas elapsed.

ihiei s. fip',f -1,-'i-2, 1 3, jaili1 4 haveshotvira modified and simpler-control eiiibodyi ng my invention. this mac ne there a, box PM in 'which is a s iii gle sliding *ibdpii'fi rfibiihted in rel efs, trend ,se and having *on its ioiiteren'd "a handle SSlby which theop s 3 1Q. "Onthe 'r'o'd"'86 "is a'coil spr ng-1911f one'end dfwhich rests a ainsfia'webs ji'nthe 5255i "Hi0 and he othereiid erwh 'e re ts'agaiiisr t ctr Tss nieces, The collar 'roii tlfi and "earnest "downs wardly extending ar'r'nj94 "the lower -eiid of which is a notched feeler 95 engages the mat A. To'the left handface of' 'collar 9 3 is-secured af'rin'g 8! of ;insu-lating-material a'ridtothat is secured-a ring 98 of conducting *matrial. 3A1; 99 is; shown'anot-her web in "the interior of the box 110. This Web'has-a-hole inthe center-which is screw threaded and into *whichi's screwed a thimble Illl which is held in place by a check hut I02. The bore of the thimble is slightly greater than the outer diameter of the sliding rod 86 so that the rod is free to slide lengthwise being guided by the roller bearings without making contact with the web 99, the web 9| or the end of the box I Ill. The thimble 10! has a flange I03 on the right side to the face of which is secured a disk I04 of insulating material on which are placed two contacts 105 in the electric circuit for the motor which operates the vacuum pump.

In operating this modified form of the machine embodying my invention, the rod 86 carrying the feeler 95 is pulled to the right as shown in Fig. 10 and then the mat or matrix is put in place with the left hand edge in contact with the fixed stop IE6. Then the rod 86 is allowed to move gently to the left as shown in Fig. 10 until the notched feeler 9| on the arm 94 engages the edge of the matrix A as indicated in Fig. 14. The heating is then started, and as the shrinkage occurs, the spring 90 moves the notched feeler 94 to the left until the contact ring 98 contacts the contact points I05. Thereupon the vacuum in the vacuum chamber 8 is increased and the matrix is clamped against the reticulated sheet [0 so that no further substantial shrinkage can take place. Then, after a pre-set timingcycle, controlled by the over-all timer T, which is the same for all mats placed in this machine, the vacuum is released, the cover opens and the matrix may be removed for casting.

The contact points I05 may be adjusted lengthwise of the rod 86 by loosening the check nut I02 and screwing the thimble into or out of the hole in the web 99. Thus the contacts may be positioned so that he vacuum will be increased at the instant when the mat has shrunk to the predetermined width.

It will, therefore, be seen that each mat is of predetermined width and that neither the amount of moisture in the mat, nor the temperature of the heater nor the proportion of white space on the page, affect the final width of the mat. The machine, therefore, produces much better mats than bakers in which the vacuum is increased after the mat has been heated by a time switch for a fixed length of time.

I claim:

1. The combination with a scorcher for stereotype mats, said scorcher having a reticulated surface with which the mat is in contact, a feeler engaging the edge of the mat to be dried, means urging the feeler against the edge of the mat and causing the feeler to follow the edge of the mat during shrinkage, and means operated by the feeler to clamp the mat against the reticulated surface when the mat has shrunk a predetermined amount.

2. A scorcher for stereotype mats having in combination a perforated bed against which the mat to be dried rests, a Vacuum chamber on the side of the bed opposite to that against which the mat rests, means for creating a vacuum in said chamber, the vacuum in said chamber operating to hold a mat which is being dried against the perforated bed and thereafter to prevent shrinkage thereof, heating means for the chamber, a feeler engaging the edge of the mat, means causing the feeler to follow it during shrinkage, and means operated by the feeler when the feeler reaches a predetermined point to increase the vacuum in the chamber and clamp the mat to the perforated bed, thereby preventing substantial shrinkage thereafter.

3. In a scorcher for stereotype mats having a reticulated bed against which the mat rests, a vacuum chamber on the side of the bed opposite to that against which the mat rests, heating coils therein, a vacuum pump creating a vacuum in; the chamber and an electric motor operating the vacuum pump, the combination of a feeler engaging an edge of the mat to be dried, means urging the feeler against the edge of the mat and causing the feeler to follow it during shrinkage and means operable by the feeler when it reaches a predetermined point to increase the vacuum in the chamber and thereby clamp the mat against the reticulated bed.

4. A scorcher for stereotype mats having a cover and a base, a vacuum pump and an electric motor to operate it, a perforated bed in the cover against which the mat to be dried rests, a vacuum chamber on the side of the bed opposite to that against which the mat rests, heating coils therefor, a feeler engaging the edge of the mat, means normally holding the feeler out of contact with the edge of the mat when the cover is open, means causing the feeler to follow the edge of the mat during shrinkage of the mat, cooperating means operated by the closing of the cover to bring the feeler into contact with the edge of the mat, and means operated by movement of the feeler when it reaches a predetermined point to increase the vacuum in the chamber and thereby clamp the mat against the perforated bed and prevent further substantial shrinkage of the mat.

5. A scorcher for stereotype mats having in combination a perforated bed against which the mat to be dried rests, a vacuum chamber on the side of the bed opposite to that against which the mat rests, heating elements therefor, a vacuum pump and an electric motor operating the vacuum pump to create a vacuum in the chamber, a pair of feelers engaging opposite edges of the mat, means normally holding the feelers away from the edges of the mat, means operating automatically to bring the feelers into contact with the edges of the mat and urge them inwardly, and means controlling the vacuum in the chamber operated by the inward movement of the feelers to increase the vacuum when a predetermined point is reached and thereby clamp the mat against the bed.

6. A scorcher for stereotype mats having in combination a cover and a base, a perforated bed in the cover against which the mat to be dried rests, a vacuum chamber on the side of the bed opposite to that against which the mat rests, heating elements therefor, and a vacuum pump, a pair of feelers adjacent opposite edges of said mat, two members carrying said feelers and movable toward and away from the edges of the mat, springs urging said members toward the edges of the mat, a switch controlling the amount of vacuum in the vacuum chamber and operated by said members when a predetermined point in their inward movement is reached, and means normally holding the said members separated when the cover is open, and releasing them for movement inward when the cover is closed.

7. A scorcher for stereotype mats having in combination, a cover and a base, a perforated bed in the cover against which the mat to be dried rests, a vacuum chamber on the side of the bed opposite to that against which the mat rests, heating elements therefor and means for creating a vacuum in the vacuum chamber, said means including a relief valve, a pair of feelers adjacent 7 'opposite edges of said mat, two members carrying said feelers and movable toward and away from the edges of the mat, a solenoid operating said 'relief valve, a relay operating the solenoid and a switch operated by said members when a predetermined point in their inward movement is reached whereby the solenoid is energized, the vacuum relief valve is closed, and the vacuum in the vacuum chamber increased, and means normally holding the said members separated when 10 the cover is open and releasing them tor movement inward when the cover is closed.

' RAYMOND FINZER.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Baker Dec. 27, 1949 Number 

